Faron Wahl, Manager.

This past Saturday, amidst a steady stream of visitors, we had the privilege of hosting three generations of a family from Lennox. Linda, Lindsay, Allison, and Ashley were fun guests; all were kind, interested, and engaged. But Bailey, the 4-month-old, gets a specific call-out here.

Bailey was a particularly sweet guest, and even at her tender young age, she showed noted appreciation for our open grounds, shaded benches, and available accommodations such as cold water. She carried a cute, playful manner and made this manager smile repeatedly.

Bailey is the family’s young golden retriever, and she was a welcome visitor joining her loving family as they roamed our grounds throughout the temperate afternoon. These were ideal dog owner / visitors. Each of the gals took turns walking with Bailey, while the other three would stroll through each building before trading out so the fourth could look. All five of them reported having a fantastic time here (yes, Bailey made it clear to me she was also loving the visit).

We are certainly pet friendly at the village, and dozens of families whose adventures aren’t complete without their four-pawed family member reap those benefits during their day visits or camping stays. Studies show that loving a pet often translates to healthy benefits such as lowered stress, a deep sense of companionship, and a longer lifespan for both parties. Through all we offer here, it’s fun to be able to support yet another facet of healthy family times.

Our beloved beagle, Piper, visits here when my wife or other family members can join me. She thoroughly loves the endless acres to explore with us. And in all seriousness, she’s genuine therapy for me from the stresses of extreme hours, days away from home, and general pressures of keeping all the village juggling balls in the air at one time. I wouldn’t trade anything for her visits and overnight stays in the camper with the rest of my dear family.

But if you’re not wild about pets, we fully respect your position and we desire to be no less accommodating to you. Both sides of that aisle are equally welcomed. So, we ask some standard rules of anyone bringing their canine counterpart, not only to keep everyone safe, but to allow those who don’t enjoy animals as much to have just as great a time here as those who do. We balance this scale of visitors weekly.

The simple rules: your pet must always be on a leash and under control, vaccinations must be current and producible, and you must pick up after them. Additionally, pets aren’t allowed in our buildings, specifically including our gift shop, and if they are consistently noisy, we’ll be asking you to make adjustments that will resolve the situation.

Of course, service dogs are appropriately exempt from some of the standard rules, such as being allowed in buildings. Their roles are not only critical in the lives of their owners, but these remarkable partners are highly trained and disciplined. And their presence is legally protected, for good reason.

Pet lover or otherwise, we’re glad you join us as we celebrate and promote the history of the rural South Dakota pioneer. We appreciate the consistent cooperation we get from pet owners in following the important rules regarding our animal visitors.

And Bailey, thanks for coming and bringing the other ladies along. I look forward to seeing you again!